IDSA joined physician and public health groups in sending a letter to President Obama urging him to oppose any attempts to restore the ban on use of federal funds for syringe exchange programs--a proven, life-saving approach to preventing transmission of HIV and hepatitis.

IDSA, HIVMA and others wrote to House Appropriations Committee and State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee leaders requesting full funding of the President's FY 12 request for the U.S. Agency for International Development's malaria, tuberculosis and global HIV/AIDS initiatives.

The HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) are writing in support of a full repeal of the ban on federal funding for needle exchange programs in the final FY2010 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill.

IDSA and HIVMA submitted proposals to Senate leaders urging the stimulus plan to include investments in public health infrastructure to address antimicrobial resistance, emerging infections, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

IDSA and HIVMA call on the presidential candidates to promote a science-based approach to public health policy, including immunization safety, sexuality education programs, access to clean syringes and needles for injecting drug users, and diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.

IDSA and HIVMA express grave concerns about current and proposed U.S. policies that effectively prohibit the purchase of generic fixed-dose combination antiretrovirals with funds allocated for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

IDSA and HIVMA supported the development of new therapeutics, vaccines, diagnostics and approaches; investigation of the chronic diseases/infectious agents link; global tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS research; research capacity/infrastructure building in resource-limited nations; the Fogarty International Center; international ID training opportunities; and domestic HIV/AIDS therapeutic research.